The Department of Human Services (DHS) strives to improve the lives of Arkansans by offering a variety of programs.

Ryan Winkel and Cecile Beard are both part of the DHS mission. Winkel is a human resources recruiter. Beard is a Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education program eligibility specialist.

Something else Winkel and Beard have in common is they found their jobs due mostly from getting DHS information at an employment fair.

Winkel, a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), approached DHS staff while attending a fair at the school. Beard, a Navy veteran and a UCA alum, learned about DHS employment opportunities through social media and a community job fair.

“After my time in the military, I wanted a government job because of the benefits and the opportunity to continue serving people,” Beard said. “Before meeting staff at the fair, I found several openings on the DHS jobs site that caught my attention. But speaking to DHS recruiters at the fair was absolutely worth my time.”

They kept talking to Beard, well after the fair.

“I constantly received advice from the DHS HR staff,” she said. “It helped having a reliable recruiter encourage me to stay on the lookout for DHS openings.”

Winkel also sought a state job.

“I wanted to work for the government, specifically in recruiting, as I enjoy making a positive impact in people’s lives,” he said. “That’s why I got DHS jobs information. I’m glad they were at the UCA recruitment fair.”

Winkel didn’t expect what happened after his visit to the DHS recruiting booth.

“I was surprised at how quick the recruiters called me,” he said. “While at the fair, I spoke a lot to the former head of HR recruiting. Four days later, I got an e-mail asking me to give him a call.”

HR recruiters attend job fairs with the goal of finding qualified people to fill DHS job openings. Of course, that task hits close to home for Winkel.

“I always put myself in the job candidate’s shoes, remembering when I was in their exact situation,” he said.